Warehouse and Logistics Sectors Are Struggling With Worker Shortage

It’s not just the trucking industry suffering from a lack of available workers.

The warehouse and logistics sectors are faced with a serious labor shortage, according to a new study presented at the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) conference, held at the end of September in San Diego, Calif.

The 20th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study, conducted by CSCMP and Capgemini Consulting, revealed that the labor shortage spans the entire supply chain, but feeling the brunt of the shortage are trucking companies in need of drivers and warehouse operations seeking qualified workers.

Seventy-nine percent of third-party logistics providers (3PLs) report that they are unprepared for the labor shortage impact on their supply chain. Interestingly, more than half of shippers–53 percent–feel confident that they can rely on 3PLs to help with the labor shortage’s affect on their side of the business.

The report authors say the industry is tapping several strategies to address the labor shortage throughout the supply chain. They include “recruiting within several existing, under-represented labor pools, including women and military veterans.”

Additionally, the industry is investigating automation to reduce the impact of the worker shortage. Technologies being tested include driverless trucks, deliveries by drone aircraft, and package deliveries using crowd-sourced labor.

Check out the Third-Party Logistics Study infographic below to learn more about the impact of the labor shortage on the industry: